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In a time when most of us bemoan the fact that there are too many Bowl Games and teams we don't think deserve a shot, let's remember that they are games that give the kids a chance to shine and fans some pride.
UT - Ash and Okafor, who would have thought Ash could have such a game.
Rice - Driphus, he opened some eyes and I am pulling for Rice to win the West CUSA next year.
CUSA - Showing some spunk after a down year with 3 Blowout wins and a shot at the Bowl Championship.
Baylor - Florence, a nice beatdown of the PAC.
TTech - Doege and a win with an interim coach over the overrated B1G.
TCU - Well, there goes the State of Texas win streak. Losing to a team MSU that was ranked lower than our opponent, Fresno. (Sagarin ratings). Sure hated to see Patterson blow it.
SMU - Gilbert and Hunt, Reed and Davis, Line and Thompson and Greenbauer making up for a disappointing season and gaining momentum for the Big East.
Cincinnati, Boise and UCF - In our league next year.
No, let's not be too hasty in our complaining about the Bowl Games (they're better than reruns or another animated movie about Rudolph). Just my humble opinion.

I like your round-up and agree with you about bowl games, even though I think there should be fewer of them.

I grew up when there was no BCS, very little conference realignment, no official national championship and you got one or two college games on Saturday TV, and the college football "system" was better then than now. Bowl games then were a real treat.

Though I am in the distinct minority, I don't believe college football benefits from or even needs a playoff system; it's too big and too diverse. In the old days of college football, you could have a good 8-3 or 9-2 season and be rewarded with a bowl game even though you didn't win a conference championship. it compensated good teams that weren't necessarily great, or had been overlooked.

For the kids its great, since having a below mediocre season doesn't mean the end anymore. However when it comes to prestige or fan building it doesn't do squat. The only way it makes a lick of difference is having our shot at beating Wisconsin in the rose bowl. To sum up, great for kids and fans who dont care about mediocrity and having the approach that everything deserves a trophy, to the rest of the world: it means nothing.

Oh I don't know, TCU having its shot at USC in a crappy Sun Bowl seemed to make a huge difference. Of course we need to follow this up with some impressive seasons like they did. We have a chance to accomplish that with our opponents next year.